Self guarded frogs were used on the Frisco in the sixties and later. Most major yard renovations included self guarded frogs. Self guarded frogs were not used on the main track on the Frisco. The American Railroad Engineers Association (AREA) plan was used. Mike Lutzenberger
SLSF 1630 is alive! There are few problems, the air pump is not working, but she ran on a hundred feet of track yesterday while hooked up to house air. Steve
According to the following article, Frisco 1630 is supposed to be active by this summer: http://trn.trains.com/Railroad News...e 60th anniversary with 60 electric cars.aspx Rich
Yesterday, 2-10-0 Bolshevik SLSF 1630 passed her Federal inspection, and had fire on her grates. She made a short test run on IRRM trackage. http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1596-Steam-Department-10-30-13-Extremes-of-high-and-low.html She sure sounds good!
Here is the latest. Frisco 2-10-0 No. 1630 steams at Illinois Railway Museum Published: November 1, 2013 UNION, Ill. – Frisco 2-10-0 No. 1630 was steamed up at the Illinois Railway Museum this week for its Federal Railroad Administration inspection. The safety valves were tested and the engine was run back and forth for inspection. The inspection was a success, and the IRM Steam Department will now proceed to have locomotive ready for service for the 2014 season. Baldwin built No. 1630 in 1918 as part of an order for the Imperial Russian State Railways that was never delivered because of the Russian Revolution. Instead, the engine went to the United States Railway Association, which operated U.S. railroads during World War I, as USRA No. 1147. It was sold to the Frisco in 1920, and then went to the Eagle-Picher Co. at Cardin, Okla. in 1951. It was donated to the museum in 1967, and has operated as IRM’s “regular” steam engine for many years. GS
Frisco strong! Whenever we went up the K Line to West Quincy, I always tried to see if we could get about 120+ of those hoppers for SLSF 1522. She would have romped with them and it would have been a neat sight at 60 mph. Edit 3/10/2024: The K Line is the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) route along the west bank of the Mississippi River between St. Louis, MO through Ft. Madison, IA to Burlington, IA. Added explanation of the referenced K Line. MKD
I wonder why they do not use the stoker. Maybe it does not work any more. Looked like moving the coal was as much work as firing.
Hope you like this. A nice rods-down pose of SLSF 1630 at IRM in front of the depot sometime in the 1996 - 2000 timeframe. Bronica EC 6 x 6, 50 mm Nikkor with yellow filter, Ilford Delta 100 souped in Kodak XTOL 1:1. I was trying to roll back the contrast. Printed on Ilford paper.
Here is a Trains video featuring the recent operation of Frisco 1630. http://trn.trains.com/photos-videos/videos/2018/10/trains-presents-illinois-railway-museum-steam-shop?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=News0_TRN_181030_000000_AllSubs_Final&utm_content=&recipientID=MTE2MDcyODc1MDc2S0 &spMailingID=36963993&spUserID=MTE2MDcyODc1MDc2S0&spJobID=1382961881&spReportId=MTM4Mjk2MTg4MQS2 Rich
In regards to the stoker, I am told that in the early days of the IRM mainline, only 1-2 miles, it was not worth using the stoker, and in modern times they have younger help. I am friends with a few folks up at IRM. They are really good people. I believe they rebuilt most or all of the tender tank from the narrow bunker tender it had.
SLSF 1630 now being winterized. It has a leaking tube to be repaired, plus a few other minor repairs to be had over the winter.
2-10-0 SLSF 1630 Decapod, Baldwin Locomotive Works at Union, Illinois. Railroad Steam Train Postcard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis-San_Francisco_Railway_1630 As the Frisco began retiring the class, they sold 1615, 1621, 1625, 1630, and 1632 to the Eagle Picher Mining Company in October 1951. Thirteen years later, Eagle Picher donated all five to various sites. In engine number order, the recipients were Altus, OK, National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Texas State Fair Association in Dallas, TX, Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL and the Smoky Hill Railway and Historical Society of Ottawa, KS. Frisco 2-10-0 SLSF 1630 was built in March 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Russian Government as a 5 foot gauge engine. Because the Russian Revolution it was kept in the USA. Then it was modified for standard gauge. First operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), before being sold to the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway. It was first assigned as a mixed traffic engine until the end of the steam era in the early 1950s. Then next it was sold to Eagle-Picher who used it to haul lead ore to a smelting plant. It was eventually purchased by the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. The SLSF Railway acquired 20 of the Russian Decapods. Seventeen of the units were assigned directly to the Frisco and three were acquired from elsewhere. The 1600 class, Frisco's numbered 1613 to 1632. Eleven, SLSF 1613-SLSF 1623, were built by the Richmond Locomotive Works in 1917 and 1918. SLSF 1624 was built by the Brooks Locomotive Company. SLSF 1625 was manufactured by Schenectady Locomotive Works. The later seven engines 1626-1632 were constructed by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1918. Eight of the Decapods numbers SLSF 1614, 1615, 1618, 1621, 1625, 1627, 1630 & 1632 were coal burners. Some others were oil burners.
